Again, social media failed miserably to help a movie. It happened last year with the revival of Morbiusand it was repeated this week with Blue Beetle. Although hundreds of fans started a campaign to raise public awareness about the film’s premiere, the results were devastating. Blue Beetle became DC’s 7th consecutive flop at the global box officeand proved that, yes, the franchise could sink lower still.
In the United States and Canada, Jamie Reyes and his family reached more than 3,800 theaters (400 fewer than Flash either Shazam! The fury of the gods). Expectations weren’t high, but still, Blue Beetle did not comply. In its first weekend it raised just $25.4 million dollars (MDD)and although it debuted in first place in the top 10, it was only a couple of million above Barbie (in its fifth weekend). Without a doubt, one of those cases where first place means nothing.
Unfortunately, the film starring Xolo Maridueña is DC’s worst debut so far this year. Until the aforementioned sequel to Shazam! he beat it by $5 million. This disappointing premiere confirms (in case anyone had any doubts) that, outside of the films starring Batman or the Joker, the DC brand is going through a severe crisis.
If you want to make the comparison, this is how the debut of Blue Beetle compared to the other DCEU movies.
- Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice – $166 million (2016)
- Suicide Squad – $133 million (2016)
- the man of steel – $116 million (2013)
- Wonder Woman – $103 million (2017)
- League of Justice – $93 million (2017)
- aquaman- $67.8 million (2018)
- Black Adam – $67.004 million dollars (2022)
- Flash – $55 million (2023)
- Shazam! – $53.5 million (2019)
- Birds of prey – $33 million (2020)
- Shazam! The fury of the gods – $30 million (2023)
- The Suicide Squad – $26.2 million (2021)
- Blue Beetle – $25.4 million (2023)
- Wonder Woman 1984 – $16 million (2020)
Although Blue Beetle is in penultimate place, it is worth mentioning that Wonder Woman 1984 It was released at the worst moment of the pandemic, with almost 2,000 theaters less, these at 10% of their capacity and, in addition, it was on HBO Max at the same time. Worse still: if on the first day of Blue Beetle we took away the $3.3 million you booked at your preview shows Thursday afternoon, the Blue Beetle ribbon is below Wonder Woman 1984 during its opening day ($7.4 vs. $6.7 million). Ouch!
On the other hand, there are those who hope that word of mouth will help Blue Beetle box office. However, it got a B+ in CinemaScore (same as Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods and Wonder Woman 1984) and will face premieres such as Grand Touring, the vigilante 3 and the nun 2 in the next three weeks.
But if the results in North America were tragic, the international ones can only be described as a catastrophe. Although it debuted in 63 markets and took IMAX screens away from oppenheimer in several of them Blue Beetle it barely raised $18 million for a global cumulative of $43.4 million. Outside of the United States, This is the worst debut in DCEU history. Yes, well below those films released in the middle of the pandemic.
Mexico ($2.7 million), Brazil ($2.1 million and the country of origin of Jenny Kord interpreter Bruna Marquezine, France ($1.5 million), the United Kingdom ($1.5 million) and Indonesia ($1.2 million) were their “best” markets. Neither Not even Latin America supported the film, and that had important references to its culture.
Although the film only had a budget of $104 million, experts predict a finish around $130 – 150 million dollars as long as it doesn’t go down like the sequel to Shazam! either Flash. Said result would be insufficient to generate any type of profit for Warner Bros.
If you were one of the few who supported Blue Beetle at the box office, what do you think of the film? Do you think the character deserved such embarrassing figures in his film debut?
Juan Jose Cruz I am one of those who always defended Robert Pattinson as Batman and can see the same movie in the theater up to 7 times. My guilty pleasure? Low budget horror movie.